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Public elementary school · New York City Geographic District #21 · Brooklyn, New York

PS 253

PS 253 rates 6.3, below most New York City Geographic District #21 elementary schools, whose rated median is 6.9.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
6.3this school

6.3 on a one-to-ten scale; the New York City Geographic District #21 median is 6.9.

#2,712 of 4,744 schools in New York · New York City Geographic District #21: 22 elementary schools rated, median 6.9

The brief

A New York City Geographic District #21 elementary school where students score 27 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 2,712 of 4,744 schools in New York and 26 of 40 in New York City Geographic District #21.

PS 253 is listed in New York City Geographic District #21, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math81%23 points above the New York average of 58%2025 NYSED
Reading72%17 points above the New York average of 55%2025 NYSED
Proficiency has held near 76% across the 3-year record (2023–2025).2025 NYSED; 52 test records from NY state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
5.6
50% of the rating
Academics
8.8
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
4.2
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 6 sources, 2019–2025

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 78% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 61% (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NYSED · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 NYSED · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 11235; this does not measure the attendance area.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
PS 253 and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$61,689
Median home value
$723,900
Median rent
$1,649/mo
College educated
49.6%
Homeownership
37%
Poverty rate
17.4%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 11235; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
98
Walker's Paradise
Transit Score
88
Excellent Transit
Bike Score
71
Very Bikeable
County reported crime
2,907/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 county residents, counting every city police department, sheriff's office and county police department that reported a full year to the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program. Shown only where those agencies cover at least 80% of the county's residents. Not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
90.5%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 7.8Compare →
  2. 7.8Compare →
  3. 7.4Compare →
  4. PS 3700.4 mi
    6.4Compare →
  5. PS 253this school
    6.3
  6. 6.0Compare →
  7. 5.8Compare →
  8. PS 7710.3 mi
    5.7Compare →
  9. 4.4Compare →
Eight grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and four rate higher than PS 253.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does PS 253 serve?

PS 253 serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend PS 253?

PS 253 has an enrollment of approximately 913 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at PS 253?

The student-teacher ratio at PS 253 is 14.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does PS 253 rank in NY?

PS 253 ranks #2,712 of 4,744 schools in NY.

What is PS 253's MySchoolScout rating?

PS 253 has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at PS 253?

Based on loaded state assessment records, PS 253 has 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 61% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is PS 253 a charter school?

No, PS 253 is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is PS 253 a Title I school?

No, PS 253 is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for PS 253?

90.5% of students at PS 253 qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
913
Student-teacher ratio
14.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
62
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Large City
County
Kings County
Rank in district
#26 of 40
Schools in district
40
District spending per student
Not available
The source marked this value as not applicable.
District child poverty rate
Not available
The source release did not match this district identifier.
Area population (ZIP 11235)
81,958
Area average commute
42.5 min
Area median age
47.2

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, New York State Education Dept., and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.